Schmidt, Lowe Named First Team All-West Region Selections

Dec 06, 2011

SANTA BARBARA,Calif. – For the second straight season Stacey Schmidt was honored as a First Team All-West Region selection and she wasn't the lone UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball player honored. Fellow senior Chelsey Lowe was also named a First Team All-West Region selecton as UCSB placed two players on the First Team for the third consecutive season.

Schmidt, a senior from Huntington Beach, Calif., averaged 2.93 kills per set and 0.91 blocks per set this season while hitting .278. She was named to the All-Big West First Team for the third straight season. Schmidt becomes the eighth Gaucho to be named to the All-West Region First Team more than once in her career.

"What an accomplishment for Stacey to be rewarded back-to-back," UCSB head coach Kathy Gregory said. "Overall her game improved from last year as she was able to play the back row and become a defensive player. That made her all-around game so important for us. As a captain and a leader, Stacey really withstood the pressure and always competed at a high level."

Lowe set a school record with her 652 total digs, for an average of 5.30 per set. That total placed her among the top 30 liberos in the nation. The Yorba Linda, Calif. native finished her career ranked in the school's top-10 in total digs and she was named to the All-Big West First Team as well. She is the first back row player to be honored as an All-West Region First Team selection since Kristin Nelson in 2004.

"This is a remarkable award because it is very difficult for a libero to be selected but no one could deny her superior play this season," Gregory said. "With her high digs per set average, as well as her ability to pass all over the court for our freshman setter, Chelsey brought an inspirational attitude and effort and that was instrumental in our never-say-die attitude throughout the year."

UCSB, which finished the season 19-12 overall and in second place in the Big West, has had multiple selections on the All-West Region First Team for three straight years now. In 2009 Rebecca Saraceno and Dana Vargas were picked; last season Vargas and Schmidt were chosen.